Volume 2

Soft Drink

Background

Soft drinks are enormously popular beverages consisting primarily of
carbonated water, sugar, and flavorings. Nearly 200 nations enjoy the
sweet, sparkling soda with an annual consumption of more than 34 billion
gallons. Soft drinks rank as America's favorite beverage segment,
representing 25% of the total beverage market. In the early 1990s per
capita consumption of soft drinks in the U.S. was 49 gallons, 15 gallons
more than the next most popular beverage, water.

The roots of soft drinks extend to ancient times. Two thousand years ago
Greeks and Romans recognized the medicinal value of mineral water and
bathed in it for relaxation, a practice that continues to the present. In
the late 1700s Europeans and Americans began drinking the sparkling
mineral water for its reputed therapeutic benefits. The first imitation
mineral water in the U.S. was patented in 1809. It was called "soda
water" and consisted of water and sodium bicarbonate mixed with
acid to add effervescence. Pharmacists in America and Europe experimented
with myriad ingredients in the hope of finding new remedies for various
ailments. Already the flavored soda waters were hailed as brain tonics for
curing headaches, hangovers, and nervous afflictions.

Pharmacies equipped with "soda fountains" featuring the
medicinal soda water soon developed into regular meeting places for local
populations. Flavored soda water gained popularity not only for medicinal
benefits but for the refreshing taste as well. The market expanded in the
1830s when soda water was first sold in glass bottles. Filling and capping
the gaseous liquid in containers was a difficult process until 1850, when
a manual filling and corking machine was successfully designed. The term
"soda pop" originated in the 1860s from the popping sound of
escaping gas as a soda bottle was opened.

New soda flavors constantly appeared on the market. Some of the more
popular flavors were ginger ale, sarsaparilla, root beer, lemon, and other
fruit flavors. In the early 1880s pharmacists experimented with powerful
stimulants to add to soda water, including cola nuts and coca leaves. They
were inspired by Bolivian Indian workers who chewed coca leaves to ward
off fatigue and by West African workers who chewed cola nuts as a
stimulant. In 1886 an Atlanta pharmacist, John Pemberton, took the fateful
step of combining coca with cola, thus creating what would become the
world's most famous drink, "Coca-Cola". The beverage
was advertised as refreshing as well as therapeutic: "French Wine
Cola—Ideal Nerve and Tonic Stimulant." A few years later
another pharmacist, Caleb Bradham, created "Pepsi-Cola" in
North Carolina. Although the name was a derivation of pepsin, an acid that
aids digestion, Pepsi did not advertise the beverage as having therapeutic
benefits. By the early 20th century, most cola companies focused their
advertising on the refreshing aspects of their drinks.

As flavored carbonated beverages gained popularity, manufacturers
struggled to find an appropriate name for the drinks. Some suggested
"marble water," "syrup water," and
"aerated water." The most appealing name, however, was
"soft drink," adapted in
the hopes that soft drinks would ultimately supplant the "hard
liquor" market. Although the idea never stuck, the term soft drink
did.

Until the 1890s soft drinks were produced manually, from blowing bottles
individually to filling and packaging. During the following two decades
automated machinery greatly increased the productivity of soft drink
plants. Probably the most important development in bottling technology
occurred with the invention of the "crown cap" in 1892,
which successfully contained the carbon dioxide gas in glass bottles. The
crown cap design endured for 70 years.

The advent of motor vehicles spawned further growth in the soft drink
industry. Vending machines, serving soft drinks in cups, became regular
fixtures at service stations across the country. In the late 1950s
aluminum beverage cans
were introduced, equipped with convenient pull-ring tabs and later with
stay-on tabs. Light-weight and break-resistant plastic bottles came into
use in the 1970s, though it was not until 1991 that the soft drink
industry used plastic PET (polyethylene terephthalate) on a wide scale.

Soft drink manufacturers have been quick to respond to consumer
preferences. In 1962 diet colas were introduced in response to the fashion
of thinness for women. In the 1980s the growing health consciousness of
the country led to the creation of caffeine-free and low-sodium soft
drinks. The 1990s ushered in clear colas that were colorless,
caffeine-free, and preservative-free.

Raw Materials

Carbonated water constitutes up to 94% of a soft drink. Carbon dioxide
adds that special sparkle and bite to the beverage and also acts as a mild
preservative. Carbon dioxide is an uniquely suitable gas for soft drinks
because it is inert, non-toxic, and relatively inexpensive and easy to
liquefy.

The second main ingredient is sugar, which makes up 7-12% of a soft drink.
Used in either dry or liquid form, sugar adds sweetness and body to the
beverage, enhancing the "mouth-feel," an important component
for consumer enjoyment of a soft drink. Sugar also balances flavors and
acids.

Sugar-free soft drinks stemmed from a sugar scarcity during World War II.
Soft drink manufacturers turned to high-intensity sweeteners, mainly
saccharin, which was phased out in the 1970s when it was declared a
potential carcinogen. Other sugar substitutes were introduced more
successfully, notably aspartame, or Nutra-Sweet, which was widely used
throughout the 1980s and 1990s for diet soft drinks. Because some
high-intensity sweeteners do not provide the desired mouth-feel and
aftertaste of sugar, they often are combined with sugar and other
sweeteners and flavors to improve the beverage.

The overall flavor of a soft drink depends on an intricate balance of
sweetness, tartness, and acidity (pH). Acids add a sharpness to the
background taste and enhance the thirst-quenching experience by
stimulating saliva flow. The most common acid in soft drinks is citric
acid, which has a lemony flavor. Acids also reduce pH levels, mildly
preserving the beverage.

Very small quantities of other additives enhance taste, mouth-feel, aroma,
and appearance of the beverage. There is an endless range of flavorings;
they may be natural, natural identical (chemically synthesized
imitations), or artificial (chemically unrelated to natural flavors).
Emulsions are added to soft drinks primarily to enhance "eye
appeal" by serving as clouding agents. Emulsions are mixtures of
liquids that are generally incompatible. They consist of water-based
elements, such as gums, pectins, and preservatives; and oil-based liquids,
such as flavors, colors, and weighing agents. Saponins enhance the foamy
head of certain soft drinks, like cream soda and ginger beer.

To impede the growth of microorganisms and prevent deterioration,
preservatives are added to soft drinks. Anti-oxidants, such as BHA and
ascorbic acid, maintain color and flavor. Beginning in the 1980s, soft
drink manufacturers opted for natural additives in response to increasing
health concerns of the public.

Impurities in the water are removed through a process of coagulation,
filtration, and chlorination. Coagulation involves mixing floc into
the water to absorb suspended particles. The water is then poured
through a sand filter to remove fine particles of Roc. To sterilize
the water, small amounts of chlorine are added to the water and
filtered out.

The Manufacturing
Process

Most soft drinks are made at local bottling and canning companies. Brand
name franchise companies grant licenses to bottlers to mix the soft drinks
in strict accordance to their secret formulas and their required
manufacturing procedures.

Clarifying the water

1 The quality of water is crucial to the success of a soft drink.
Impurities, such as suspended particles, organic matter, and bacteria,
may degrade taste and color. They are generally removed through the
traditional process of a series of coagulation, filtration, and
chlorination. Coagulation involves mixing a gelatinous precipitate, or
floc (ferric sulphate or aluminum sulphate), into the water. The floc
absorbs suspended particles, making them larger and more easily trapped
by filters. During the clarification process, alkalinity must be
adjusted with an addition of lime to reach the desired pH level.

Filtering, sterilizing, and dechlorinating the water

2 The clarified water is poured through a sand filter to remove fine
particles of floc. The water passes through a layer of sand and courser
beds of gravel to capture the particles.

3 Sterilization is necessary to destroy bacteria and organic compounds
that might spoil the water's taste or color. The water is pumped
into a storage tank and is dosed with a small amount of free chlorine.
The chlorinated water remains in the storage

tank for about two hours until the reaction is complete.

4 Next, an activated carbon filter dechlorinates the water and removes
residual organic matter, much like the sand filter. A vacuum pump
de-aerates the water before it passes into a dosing station.

Mixing the ingredients

5 The dissolved sugar and flavor concentrates are pumped into the dosing
station in a predetermined sequence according to their compatibility.
The ingredients are conveyed into batch tanks where they are carefully
mixed; too much agitation can cause unwanted aeration. The syrup may be
sterilized while in the tanks, using ultraviolet radiation or flash
pasteurization, which involves quickly heating and cooling the mixture.
Fruit based syrups generally must be pasteurized.

6 The water and syrup are carefully combined by sophisticated machines,
called proportioners, which regulate the flow rates and ratios of the
liquids. The vessels are pressurized with carbon dioxide to prevent
aeration of the mixture.

Carbonating the beverage

7 Carbonation is generally added to the finished product, though it may
be mixed into the water at an earlier stage. The temperature of the
liquid must be carefully controlled since carbon dioxide solubility
increases as the liquid temperature decreases. Many carbonators are
equipped with their own cooling systems. The amount of carbon dioxide
pressure used depends on the type of soft drink. For instance, fruit
drinks require far less carbonation than mixer drinks, such as tonics,
which are meant to be diluted with other liquids. The beverage is
slightly over-pressured with carbon dioxide to facilitate the movement
into storage tanks and ultimately to the filler machine.

Filling and packaging

8 The finished product is transferred into bottles or cans at extremely
high flow rates. The containers are immediately sealed with
pressure-resistant closures, either tinplate
or steel crowns with corrugated edges, twist offs, or pull tabs.

9 Because soft drinks are generally cooled during the manufacturing
process, they must be brought to room temperature before labeling to
prevent condensation from ruining the labels. This is usually achieved
by spraying the containers with warm water and drying them. Labels are
then affixed to bottles to provide information about the brand,
ingredients, shelf life, and safe use of the product. Most labels are
made of
paper
though some are made of a plastic film. Cans are generally pre-printed
with product information before the filling stage.

10 Finally, containers are packed into cartons or trays which are then
shipped in larger pallets or crates to distributors.

Quality Control

Soft drink manufacturers adhere to strict water quality standards for
allowable dissolved solids, alkalinity, chlorides, sulfates, iron, and
aluminum. Not only is it in the interest of public health, but clean water
also facilitates the production process and maintains consistency in
flavor, color, and body. Microbiological and other testing occur
regularly. The National Soft Drink Association and other agencies set
standards for regulating the quality of sugar and other ingredients. If
soft drinks are produced with low-quality sugar, particles in the beverage
will spoil it, creating floc. To prevent such spoilage, sugar must be
carefully handled in dry, sanitized environments.

It is crucial for soft drink manufacturers to inspect raw materials before
they are mixed with other ingredients, because preservatives may not kill
all bacteria. All tanks, pumps, and containers are thoroughly sterilized
and continuously monitored. Cans, made of aluminum alloy or tin-coated
low-carbon steel, are lacquered internally to seal the metal and prevent
corrosion from contact with the beverage. Soft drink manufacturers also
recommend specific storage conditions to retailers to insure that the
beverages do not spoil. The shelf life of soft drinks is generally at
least one year.

Recycling

The $27 billion dollar soft drink industry generated about 110 billion
containers each year in the early 1990s. About half of soft drink
containers were aluminum cans and the other half, about 35 billion, were
PET plastic bottles. Nearly 60% of all soft drink containers were
recycled, the highest rate for any packaging in the United States.
Environmental concerns continued to lead to improvements and innovations
in packaging technology, including the development of refillable and
reusable containers.

The Future

In the 1990s there were more than 450 types of soft drinks on the market
and new flavors and sweeteners are developed all the time to meet market
demands. In the future, advanced technology will lead to greater
efficiency of soft drink production at all stages. New methods of water
clarification, sterilization, and pasteurization will improve production
and minimize the need for preservatives in soft drinks. Concerns with
consumer health, safety, and the environment will continue to have a
positive impact on trends in the soft drink industry.

I am an aspiring entreprenuer interested in getting into the soft drinks business specifically as a manufacturer. What tools and ingredients would i need to start inexpensively? How can i do this from home? Is it possible?

I cannot seem to find any information on NON carbonated processes as many soft drinks are not carbonated. Then there are the drink crystals that one adds sugar to at home etc. I cannot find any details on how these packets are made anywhere namely because when one looks it up it says "Add a cup of sugar to a packet of the stuff" and this is how it is made. I want to know how the powders are made, are they from dehydrated fruits etc. Any suggestions?

how to use potassium carbonate for using soft drinks and how much is the percentage of water we are making juice items like grapes, oranges.strawberry etc. we make fruits only in the make of essence and not fruits pls guide me how to prepare thanking you for your valued reply.

Hello
Please advise me as i indend to embark on a project to manufacture carbonated fruit juice.I am an aspiring entreprenuer interested in getting into the soft drinks business specifically as a manufacturer. What tools and ingredients would i need to start inexpensively? How can i do this from home? Is it possible?

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